Laurel and Sausages: ‘The Anachronistic Procession’ Unmasked
Spring arrived in German country. Over ash and rubble The first green of birch unfurled Tentative, delicate, and bold Out of the villages, as from the South A tattered procession of voters went forth Who carried with pomp, Two old banners. The stitches were ragged and worn And the inscription faded
The Act You’ve Known for All These Years
“John Lennon came into the NME [New Musical Express] to see me in disguise. He’d got a false beard and he was dressed in the most ragged clothes you’ve ever seen. He said, ‘I don’t want to be recognised by anybody. Let’s go and have a cup of tea.’ We went to Julie’s and sat
What’s Left of Murakami’s Tokyo?
As I arrived at Narita Airport, my head was filled with images of Haruki Murakami’s Tokyo. I imagined stepping out of my taxi to meet smoky jazz bars, bell pepper spaghetti, and Kafka-esque cityscapes. Instead, I confronted a globalised urban sprawl. Canned pop music echoed across the stree
Itadakimasu
では、ゆっくり味わいましょう。 Dewa, yukkuri ajiwaimashō, or “Well then, let’s enjoy this slowly”, I recall my grandmother saying to me over tea before watching her daily dose of travel shows. While I was living with her, the two of us would sit down every afternoon on the zabu
Tea-time: in conversation with Na Kim
Na Kim is a Korean graphic designer based in Berlin. In the past, she has trained at the Werkplaats Typografie in Arnhem, the Netherlands, and directed for GRAPHIC magazine. Most recently, she worked as the creative lead for the Victoria & Albert Museum’s Hallyu! The Korean Wave exhibition. Do
Fashioning Decline
“It is quite consummate, is it not!” cries the Aesthetic Bridegroom of his new teapot, in a Punch cartoon of 1880. “It is, indeed!” replies his Intense Bride. “Oh, Algernon, let us live up to it!” Let us surround ourselves with beautiful things, and let those selves live up to them. The
Rosalía – Motomami – Camaleona
“¿Oye, ya has escuchado el nuevo disco de la Rosalía?” my mother asks, shifting gears. We’re driving home from the Bilbao airport, where I have just arrived for the Easter holidays. After months away, everything looks unfamiliar – the trees, the mountains, even the blue sky seems oddly off
Ghosts of Tradition: Past, Present, and Future
I’d never given much thought to tradition before. When I had, I saw it as somewhat redundant – rubbing shoulders with inflexibility, with conservatism – and I assumed that the people around me shared similar views. Tradition didn’t seem like something of particular importance to our
